Web cutting and folding mechanism for printing machines



July 9 A. M. ZUCKERMAN WEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Adalph M. Zucnerman. BY 7 ATI'OR 'EY y 11, 1944- A. M. ZUCKERMAN 2,353,609

WEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM FOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed June 3, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Adolph M.Zuc' man BY ATTO"/EY Patented July 11, 1944 WEB CUTTING AND FOLDING MECHANISM FOB PRINTING MACHINES Adolph M. Zuckerman, New York, N. Y., minor to B. Hoe & 00., Inc.,-New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 3, 1942, Serlal No. 445,554

12 Claim.

This invention relates to printing machines and more particularly to an improved web cutting and folding mechanism for such machines by which sheets varying in length may be elliciently cut from a web and folded.

In the operation of printing machines used in the printing of magazines, pamphlets, and the like, it is often required that sheets of any one of a plurality of sizes be cut from a printed web and folded, to form a product of the size required. In order to meet this requirement, it is desirable that the printing machine be so equipped that by making relatively simple adjustments or by the use of alternatively operable mechanism forming part of the machine a product with the desired size of sheet may be cut and folded.

One object of this invention is to provide in a printing machine an improved sheet cutting and folding mechanism adapted to efliciently cut any one of several different sizes of sheets from a printed web and fold them.

Another object is to provide in a printing machine an improved cutting and folding mechanism, having a plurality of pairs of sheet cutting cylinders each adapted to cut a determined size of sheet from a web, and which are arranged to be selectively operated and to feedthe different sizes of sheets to a common delivery mechanism, with a minimum readjustment of machine parts.

Still another object is to provide in a printing machine an improved sheet cutting and folding mechanism whereby a web may be cut into more than two different lengths of sheets and including a common folding cylinder and means to present the cut sheets to this folding cylinder to be folded substantially midway between their leading and trailing edges.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a web cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine of generally improved construction, whereby the device will be simple, durable and inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient, practical, serviceable, and efficient in its use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts, and in the details of construction to be hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed may be made within the scope of the claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a sheet cutting and folding mechanism embodying the features and principles of this invention as arranged to cut and fold relatively short sheets;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view of the same mechanism as arranged to cut and fold an intermediate size of sheet; and

Figure 3 is a similar view of the same mechanism as arranged to cut and fold relatively long sheets.

The mechanism illustrated is adapted to receive a printed web, or a plurality of printed webs, ll brought together, at either one of two pairs of cooperating nipping or feeding rolls l2 and I3, which are preferably rotated at the surface speed of the web, and to selectively cut it into sheets of one of a plurality of lengths, in this instance, more than two. The mechanism further includes a pair of cooperating sheet cutting cylinders l4 and I5 arranged to cut sheets relatively short in length, a pair of cooperating sheet cutting cylinders I6 and i1 adapted to cut sheets of an intermediate length, and a pair of cooperating sheet cutting cylinders i8 and I9 adapted to cut sheets relatively long in length.

The cylinder I8 of the pair of sheet cutting cylinders i8 and I 9, is also a transfer cylinder and is shown herein as being provided. with a pair of sheet impaling pin holding arms 2| and 22 adapted to be swung about their respective pivots 23 and 24 to project the pins 25 and 26, carried thereby, into the forward edge of a cut sheet and carry it to a common folding and sheet collecting cylinder 21. The folding cylinder 21 is provided with sheet impaling pins 28, 29, and 3! carried by arms 32, 33 and 34 which are adapted to be swung about their respective pivots 35, 36, and 31 to b projected into the sheets and take them from the cylinder l8 and transfer them to a jaw cylinder 38.

The folding cylinder 21 is provided also with folding blades 39, 4| and 42 which cooperate with jaws 43, 44, 45 and 45, carried by the jaw cylinder 38, to fold the sheets midway between their leading and trailing edges. The folded sheets are 7 carried by the jaws 43, 44, 45, and 46 alternately to delivery cylinders 41 and 48 having sheet grippers 43 and it, from which these fo ded sheets are delivered to delivery belts 52 and 53.

As herein shown, the sheet cutting cylinders l4 and I5, for cutting sheets relatively short in length, are disposed directly above the cutting cylinders i8 and i9, and the sheets cut therebv are forwarded to the cylinder II, by driven, and timed, cooperating feeding rollers 84 and 88, to be engaged and transferred to the folding cylinder 21 by the pins 28 and 28. Thus, sheets cut from the webs I (see Figure 1) by cutting knives 88 and 81, provided in the cylinder II, are fed by the timed rollers 84 and 88 to the cylinder l8 and transferred by it, through the instrue mentality of the pins 28 and 28, to the pins 28, 28, and 3| on the cylinder 21. The cylinder I8, in this instance, acts only as a transfer cylinder, cutting knives 88 and 88 provided on the cylinder I8 being removed, or otherwise silenced.

When it is desired to cut sheets relatively long in length, the knives 88 and 81 on the cylinder II are silenced, and the driven timed rollers 84 and 88 are made inoperative. The webs I l are fed down between the cylinders l4 and I8 and the timed rollers 84 and 88, directly to the cutting cylinders l8 and I8 (see Figure 3), to be cut in sheets by the cutting knives 88 and 88 on the cylinder l3. These long sheets are then engaged by the pins 28 and 28 and transferred to the cylinder 21, and from thence to the Jaw cylinder 38.

When sheets intermediate in length are desired, (see Figure 2), the webs H are directed through the nipping'rolls |2 to the cutting cylinders 8 and I1 to be cut into sheets by knives 88 and 8| carried by the cylinder I1. The cut sheets from the cylinders l8 and H are fed downwardly through driven and timed cooperating rollers 82 and 83 to the folding cylinder 21 where they are engaged by the pins 28, 29 and 3|, folded and transferred to the jaw cylinder 38.

Suitable means is provided for insuring that the folding blades 33, 4| and 42 on the cylinder 38 engage and fold the various lengths of sheets, in cooperation with the jaws 43, 44, 45 and 48, substantially midway between their leading and trailing edges. Herein, this means is illustrated as including spaced positions for the pins 28, 28 and 3| on the arms 32, 33 and 34. Thus, when short sheets, (see Figure 1), are being cut and folded, the pins 28, 29 and 3| are disposed on the arms in position on pads, 84, 65, and 88 at the outer ends of the arms 32, 33, and 34 respectively, and when long sheets, (see Figure 3), are being cut and folded, the pins 28, 29 and 3| are disposed on the arms in position on pads 61, 88,

and 83 near the pivoted ends of the arms 32, 33 and 34 respectively. When the sheets intermediate in length are cut, '(see Figure 2), by the knives 60 and 8| on cylinder l1 and directed toward the cylinder 21, the pins 28, 29 and 3| are disposed on the arms in intermediately positioned pads 10, 1| and 12, on the arms 32, 33, and 34 respectively.

In like manner and to insure that the pins 28 and 28 on the cylinder |8 are in proper timed relation with the pins 28, 29 and3| on the cylinder 21 to permit the proper transfer of the cut sheets from the cylinder |8 to the cylinder 21, when short sheets are being cut and transferred, the pins 25 and 26, are disposed in position on pads 13 and 14 at the outer ends of the arms 2| and 22 respectively. When long sheets are being cut and transferred, the pins 25 and 28 are disposed in position on pads 18 and 18 near the pivot of the arms 2| and 22.

Obviously the above arrangement, wherein the short sheet length cutting cylinders l4 and I5 are disposed above the long sheet length cutting cylinders i8 and I9 and wherein the short sheets are transferred by the pins 28 and 28 on the cylinder l8 to the cylinder 21, could be altered by disposing the intermediate sheet length cutting cylinders and I1 in place of the cylinders l4 and 8, and the short sheet lengthcutting cylinders I4 and I! would be disposed in place of the intermediate sheet length cutting cylinders l8 and I1. when such an arrangement is made, the pins 28 and 28 on the cylinder |8 will be positioned on pads 11 and 18, on the arms 2| and 22 respectively. so as to handle intermediate length sheets.

By the provision sheet cutting and folding mechanism herein disclosed, any of three diiferent sizes of sheets may be eillciently cut from a web, or webs, and folded for delivery. The few adjustments which are required, such as the silencing of the knives in either the cylinder II or the cylinder IS, the repositioning of the pins 28 and 26 on the arms 2| and 22, and the repositioning of the pins 28, 28 and 3| on the arms 32,33 and 84 are simply and readily accomplished in a relatively short period of time.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention;

What I claim is:

1. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a web printing machine, selectively operable means for cutting the web into sheets of more than two different lengths, selectively operable means for forwardling the web to any of the cutting means, a folding cylinder, and means for so presenting sheets of each length to the folding cylinder that they will be folded substantially midway between their leading and trailing edges.

2. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a web printing machine, first and second web forwarding means, first and second cutting means to which the web is passed by the first forwarding means to be cut into sheets, the first and second cutting means being selectively operable to cut sheets of two different lengths, a third cutting means to cut sheets differing in length from those out by either the first or second cutting means and to which the web is passed alternatively by the second forwarding means, and a folding mechanism to which the sheets cut by'the first, second and third cutting mechanisms are passed.

3. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of more than two different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends, a folding cylinder, three sets of sheet cutting cylinders, one of the sets of sheet cutting cylinders being arranged to deliver cut sheets directly to the folding cylinder, and one cylinder of another set of sheet cutting cylinders being adapted to carry sheets to the folding cylinder that are cut by either of the other two sets of cutting cylinders.

4. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, a selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of more than two different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends, including a folding cylinder, first, second and third sets of cutting cylinders, the first set 1 of cutting cylinders being arranged to have its out sheets led directly therefrom to the folding cylinder, one cylinder of the second set of cutting cylinders being arranged to transfer cut sheets to the folding cylinder alternatively from the second and third sets of cutting cylinders.

5. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of more than two different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends including a folding cylinder, three sets of cutting cylinders, one of the sets of cutting cylinders being disposed above and to one side of the folding cylinder and the other sets of cutting cylinders being disposed one above the other and above and to the other side of the folding cylinder.

6. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of three different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends, a folding cylinder, and first, second and third sets of cutting cylinders, the first set of cutting cylinders being disposed above and to one side of the folding cylinder and the second and third sets of cuttin cylinders being disposed above and to the other side of the folding cylinder, with the second set of cutting cylinders above the third set, one of the cutting cylinders of the third set being adapted b to alternatively receive sheets cut by the second and third sets of cutting cylinders and transfer them to the folding cylinder.

7. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of three different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends, a foldin cylinder, at least three pairs of cooperating cutting cylinders, a first pair being adapted to dispose the cut sheets directly in position to be led to and received by the folding cylinder, a second pair being adapted to cut and transfer the cut sheets to the folding cylinder, one of the cylinders of the said second pair being adapted to receive and transfer cut sheets from the third pair of cutting cylinders to the folding cylinder, said sheet receiving and transferring cylinder of the second pair having selectively positionable means thereon to receive sheets of different lengths, and said r' folding cylinder having selectively positionable means thereon to engage and position the leading ends of sheets of three difl'erent lengths for folding them substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends.

8. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a printing machine, selectively operable means to cut a web into sheets of more than two different lengths and to fold the same substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends including, a folding cylinder, at least three pairs of cooperating cutting cylinders, a first pair being adapted to dispose the cut sheets directly in position to be led to and received by the folding cylinder, a

second pair being adapted. to cut and transfer the cut sheets to the folding cylinder, one of the cylinders of the said second pair being adapted to receive sheets cut by the third pair of cutting cylinders and transfer them to the folding cylinder, the said folding cylinder having selectively positionable means thereon to engage and position the leading ends of sheets of more than two different lengths for folding them substantially midway between their leading and trailing ends,

9. In a folder for a printing machine adapted to print products having pages of three different lengths, first, second and third pairs of cutting cylinders, and a folding cylinder; the first cutting cylinders being arranged to cut sheets which are led directly therefrom to the folding cylinder, one of the second cutting cylinders having means to transfer sheets cut by the second cutting cylinders directly to the folding cylinder, and third cutting cylinders adapted to cut sheets which are forwarded to the transfer means on the second cutting cylinders to be transferred thereby to the folding cylinder.

10. In a folder for a web printing machine adapted to print products having pages of three different lengths, first, second and third pairs of cutting cylinders, a folding cylinder, a plurality of web forwarding rollers selectively operable to forward a web printed by the machine to any of the pairs of cutting cylinders, means for leading sheets cut by any pair of cutting cylinders to the folding cylinder, and means associated with the folding cylinder for folding the sheets cut by any of the said cutting cylinders midway of their length.

11. In a folder for a web printing machine, first, second and third cutting mechanisms and a folding mechanism, means for leading webs through one path to one of the cutting mechanisms to be cut into sheets and for transferring the sheets to the folding mechanism, and means for leading webs through another path to be cut by the second or third cutting mechanisms, and transfer mechanism associated with the third cuttin mechanism, to transfer sheets cut by either the second or third cutting mechanism to the folding mechanism.

12. In a sheet cutting and folding mechanism for a web printing machine, a plurality of web forwarding means, first and second pairs of cutting cylinders to which the web is passed by a forwarding means to be cut into sheets, the first and second pair of cutting cylinders being selectively operable to cut sheets of two different lengths,

and one of the second pair of cutting cylinders being provided with means to hold sheets thereon, a third pair of cutting cylinders to cut sheets differing in length from those out by either the first or second pair of cutting cylinders and to which the web is passed alternatively by another forwarding means, and a single folding mechanism to which all the cut sheets are passed.

' ADOLPH M. ZUCKERMAN. 

